Tomorrow's Old Grin
by Tarafina
Summary: Jake misses her old grin and so does Haley.


**Title**: Tomorrow's Old Grin  
**Category**: One Tree Hill  
**Rating**: K+  
**Genre**: Angst/Romance  
**Pairing**: Jake/Haley  
**Prompt**: #2 - Comfort  
**Word Count**: 1,265  
**Summary**: Jake misses her old grin and so does Haley.

**_Tomorrow's Old Grin  
_**-1/1-

She doesn't realize what she's doing until it's too late to turn back.

Haley James (formerly Scott) has always tried to be independent. She never liked relying on people; they always seemed to fail her when she needed them most. So when she finally divorces Nathan, putting on a brave face for everyone, she later sits in a closet and cries until she's got nothing left in her. And when she and Jamie are living in a bachelor suite and she has to reassure everybody that they're fine, they're going to be perfectly fine in just a few months, she later sobs into her pillow, muffling the sounds of lonely anguish. As she grows older, her only comfort is knowing that she made it through, she didn't have to lean on anybody else, but she did her best and she came out better for it. Her son is happy, she is happy, and while she no longer loves Nathan like she did when she was a young woman blinded by a tortured soul, they're happy as friends.

She knows she can go to Brooke or Peyton or Lucas at any time and they'll listen to her and hold her and be the best friends a person can ask for, but she refuses to let herself look weak. Even as Nathan remarries and she hears Jamie call his new wife mom. It only happens once but Haley's heart breaks a little. She smiles for everyone to see when Nathan and his wife Cassie have a baby girl and she doesn't waver even when Jamie asks if he can move in with them just to be closer to his sister. But she keeps her son and she keeps the smile in place, no matter how many times her exterior is chipped. And when she finally does break, it's in the arms of someone she never really expected to catch her.

"You're getting better," he called out to her.

She sat on a stool in the middle of an empty bar she was left to lock up, strumming her guitar absently. She glanced up at the familiar voice and smiled lightly. "I wasn't aware I needed practice." She put her guitar to the side and looked down at him as he moved toward the stage, leaned against it with his arms folded in front of him.

"Didn't mean your playing." He lifted a shoulder. "The smiling thing..."

Her brow furrowed.

"You know, I remember when we were younger and one of those infamous Haley James smiles was enough to send every guy in the vicinity grinning like idiots... Probably still does." He lifted a brow. "But you're not happy like you were then... Not as effective."

Her grin wavered. "And what has brought on this insightfulness, Jake?" She sighed, standing up from her stool wearily and packing her guitar away in its case.

"I guess I miss your old smile."

She paused, glancing over at him. "It's the same as ever." She knew she was lying, apparently he knew she was lying, and she had to wonder why nobody else did. She walked to the edge of the stage and hopped down, turning toward him, lifting her chin so they were eye to eye, as if challenging him to prove her wrong.

"It comes back when you sing," he told her. "When you're playing with Jamie or writing a song... But when you're out in public and when people expect you to smile, you do... But it's not how it used to be."

She swallowed tightly, feeling her eyes sting. Her lips quirked as if a fake smile was trying to come out and she hated that it wouldn't beam like it would with anyone else. "Since when is Jake Jagielski the all-knowing smile God?" She meant it to be humorous but it sounded rather bitter.

His hand lifted and he brushed her hair from her cheek, sticking it behind her ear gently. "When I came back, I remember thinking that one of the biggest comforts was going to be seeing your smile. And I did; for a minute it was just like always and I felt like that high school kid who had a crush on the girl that wouldn't ever see him as more than a friend." He shrugged, eyes falling for a moment. "But then it was gone again and it took me awhile but I realized that those smiles I missed... I wasn't the only one missing them." He shook his head, staring at her knowingly. "And I know it's cheesy and maybe you don't even like me the same but... I think I'd do just about anything to get one of those smiles back."

She let the tears fall then; the ones that hadn't been seen by public eyes in years and her lips wavered, not a smile or a frown, but they quivered with the sadness that had built up over so long. His arms wrapped around her, so strong and tight and they rooted her to the ground, better than Nathan's ever had. His large hands rubbed her back and as she buried her face in his chest, each sob was another inhale of something spicy and warm and entirely Jake. She didn't know how long she spent crying against him, but in the end she was only slightly embarrassed and a lot relieved. When she drew back, she wondered when her arms had wrapped around his neck, when her hands had started playing with his reddish-brown hair.

She wiped her face, sniffling. "I'm sorry," she told him, chuckling awkwardly. "I just..."

"Hey," he interrupted, shrugging. "I've got a perfectly good shoulder to cry on and I'm willing to lend it to you any time." He grinned at her and she couldn't help a small laugh.

She nodded, her lips curving in a small semblance of her old grin.

"Almost there," he said, staring at her gently.

She looked up at him, a warmth filling her that she'd sorely missed. "So you're interested in making me smile..." She lifted a brow. "And what did you have in mind?"

His fingers lightly stroked her sides. "There's a carnival in town and I thought, if you were interested, maybe we could take and Jenny and Jamie."

Her heart swelled and she found herself that much closer to a genuine grin. "I'd like that."

"Yeah?" He smiled widely. "Great. So I'll pick you two up around six?"

She nodded, lips curving slightly.

He nodded, letting her go slowly and stepping back. "Do you need a ride home, or...?"

"I'm okay," she told him, grabbing her guitar case once more.

"Okay, so... I'll see you tomorrow night." He stuffed his hands in a pocket and for a moment she was reminded of what it was like to be that girl in high school who had a crush on the awkward but adorable basketball player. His smile was nothing but large and warm and welcoming. He walked backwards as if he didn't want to lose sight of her and then finally turned around near the door, glancing back at her over his shoulder and lifting his hand to wave. As the door closed behind him, she took a deep breath and let it out on a giddy sigh. She hadn't felt this content in ages and she couldn't wait for tomorrow. She had a feeling that Jake Jagielski really would be the first person to get a real Haley James grin out of her in far too long. She wouldn't want it to be anybody else.


End file.
